Hammer



July l5, 1930. E. w, cAuLDwELL HAMMER www Filed Nov. 13, 1928v MM( .WN

Patented .uly 15, 1930 HAMMER Application' ned November 13, 192s. serial Noeiaies.

This invention relates to hammers, Vand more particularly to means Jfor Connecting the head and handle ot ahaminer, hatchet or similar implement.

An important object of the invention is to provide a wedging means for securing the handle in the head, ot such character that the lower ends of a pair of inserted. wedges are spread apart after their insertion, thereby expanding the handle to cause the same to tightly lit within the hammer head.

A further object of the invention is to provide wedging-y means of this character. which may be readily inserted and in which the spreading ot the wedges isreadily accomplished by the insertion oit la further wedge, Which also assists of itsel'l"A in spreading the material of the handle. f Y

A still further object ofthe invention is zo the provision of means preventing the detachment ot the handle from the head, even though the handle becomes slightlyv loosened, thus permitting continued use of the hammer until the wedging means employed may be conveniently tightened.

These and other objects l attain by the con-y Cil struction shown in the accompanyingcraw-` ings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown in a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein Figure l is a longitudinal sectional viewl showing means for connecting the heads and handles of tools constructed in accordance with my invention; v.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure l; 7 l

Figure 8 is an end elevation ot the tool;

Figure t isa section on the line 4-1l-of' Figure 1; y

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the wedge employed with the retaining device.

Referring now more .particularlv to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally desig-y nates a hammer head, the handle receiving socket 11 ot which increases in size from its center 12 toward opposite ends thereof. rlhe rear or claw wall of the socket at itsupper end is concavely curved and rather steeply pitched, as indicated at 13. The .handle 141 provided may have its upper end tapered to wedges 22 and a longitudinal wedge 23. transverse wedges 22 may beanyof the usual extend through the socket from the lower end thereof and to lit the lower end'oi this socket, and is provided in its rear or claw wall from a point slightly below its upper end to a point adjacent its center with a groove k15. 'lhis groove at its lower end communicates with a transversely extending bore 16, thejpurpose of which will presently appeal'.

ln combination with a head and handle constructed as abovejdescribed, l provide a wedge 17 shaped to tit against the arcuately curved claw wall ofthe socket at'the upper end thereof and having its inner tace straight. This Wedge has attached thereto a flexible rod 18, the wedge preterablyhaving an openlng 19 therethrough from its lower end to its upper end through lwhich the upperlend of Y ythe rod extends and which opening is enlarged at its upper end to permit heading or riveting of the rod therein7 as indicatedatt). y`When the handle 1s 1n position 1n the socket,

this wedge 17 is driven homeand the rod 18, which is disposed'in vthe groove 15, is

shaped to the handle and has its terminal portion directed through the transverse bore l5. Atr the opposite, endy of this bore from the groove, an enlargement is provided,.asat 2l, within which the oppositeendfot the vrod vis headed. rllhe wedge 17 and rod 18 act as a retaining means, veectively preventingsepara tion ot' the'hammer head and handle, even though the handlebe relatively loose in the socket. y

To tighten the handle in the socket, l provide a wedge assembly comprising vtransverse The blunt wedge types but should be ot a length to eXten'd beyond the center 12 of the socket,

which forms 'avrestricted throat. The wedge v 23 is turcate, having an upwardly tapering notch 2li formed in its lower edge. n. pin 25 is directed transversely'through the handle between the Wedges 22 prior to insertion oi' the wedge 23 and Atraverses the socketat a point below the restricted throat 12 thereof. When the wedge 23 is inserted, the pin 25 engaging adjacent faces of the legs 26 produced by the notch 24, causes these legs to spread and come into contact with the lower j 2 lav/0,3%

ends of the wedges 22, thereby forcing these lower ends outwardly and bending the same, as indicated at 27 in Figure l. The wedges 22 are thus rendered unremovable anc the outward movement thereof forces the material of the handle into very close engagement with the walls of the socket below the throat. EX- pansion of the upper end of the handle by the insertion of the wedges 22 and 23 will cause a corresponding expansion of the upper end of the handle, so that the handle is in firm engagement with the walls of the socket throughout and all likelihood of rela ive movement of the handle and head removed.

If any looseness occurs in use, tl is looseness may be readily removed by setting up the wedges 22 and 28.

Since the construction hereinbefore set forth is capable of a certain range of change and modification without materially departing from the spirit of the invention, I do not limit myself to such specific structure eX- cept as hereinafter claimed.

I claim In combination with a tool head 'having a handle receiving socket increasing in size from its center toward opposite ends thereof, a handle inserted in the socket from the'low er end thereof and fitti-ng such lower end, a wedge member inserted between an end wall of the socket, and the handle at the upper end of the socket, and a rod secured to the wedge member and extending downwardly through the socket and secured at its opposite end to the hammer handle, said handle having a groove in its rear face for the reception of said rod, the lower end of the groove communicating with a transverse bore through which the rod is directed, the opposite end of the rod being headed at the end of the bore remote from the groove.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

EARL W. CAULDVVELL. 

